A research on the after-school class for pupils in several elementary schools of different levels in different areas in Beijing shows that the after-school class plays an irreplaceable positive role in the comprehensive development of the participants. Pupils of different areas and different families show distinct features in their participation of the after-school classes. The parents’ limited knowledge about the school constitutes an important reason for the pupils to be enrolled in too many classes. The after-school class has become a major source of the elementary pupils’ burden. “Burden alleviation” would not achieve real effect if the alleviation efforts be targeted merely at the schools education without guidance to the after-school class.